Written by Bev Kwiatkowski

You’ve enjoyed many fond years here at Sandbridge Beach and have made the decision to finally sell your property.  To get the most out of your investment and maximize your bottom-line, it's time to get your home ready for the market!

Here are some helpful tips to consider before listing your property:

Get Inspected - Be Proactive. 

Most buyers will have a homeowner’s inspection, so hire an inspector to determine the condition of your plumbing and electrical systems before listing your property. Have your decks inspected as well, and make all the necessary repairs in advance. You might be able to put a higher price on your house if all systems are in good working order. 

Interior Refresh

For the inside of your house or condo, a fresh coat of paint does wonders. Shampoo your carpets, and clean both the inside and outside of windows. Remove all clutter, and consider buying new bedspreads, decorative pillows, curtains and blinds. Remember how model homes and "Homearama" homes are decorated. Tasteful, yet impersonal. 

Outdoor Impression

Consider hiring a professional landscaper to freshen up your yard. Hanging plants and potted bright flowers make porches and decks very inviting. Have a pest control company come out and clear your decks, windows and overhangs of spider webs.  And don't forget... a new "Welcome Mat" is always a good idea. Also, painting the front door a fun, fresh color, as well as replacing worn hardware, can give a great "First Impression".  

Inform Your REALTOR®

Provide your REALTOR® with a list of the relevant home features including the age and type of heat pumps, major appliances and roof.  Note that your house was recently inspected and list the repairs made. Also, be sure to indicate whether or not you have a contract with a pest control company. 

Your next step is to contact a Siebert Realty REALTOR® for additional advice on making your home market-ready.  As trusted award-winning veterans of the real estate business, the agents at Siebert Realty look forward to chatting with you about how to maximize your return on investment and put our experience to work for you! Call 757-426-6216 today and discover the “Siebert Difference”!

Siebert Realty - "The Beach People"

Vacation Beach Home and Condo Rentals

Sandbridge Beach, Virginia Beach, VA

www.siebert-realty.com

877-422-2200 / 757-426-6200

Licensed Agents -vs- REALTORS

People use the term REALTORS® and real estate agents interchangeably, but that use is actually incorrect.  There are big differences between the two. 

Although both are licensed to sell or manage real estate, the basic difference is that a REALTOR® is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®, which entails much more than simply being a licensed real estate agent. All REALTORS® must subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics. The REALTOR® Code of Ethics contains 17 Articles and various underlying Standards of Practice that are to be upheld and adhered to at all times. The Standards are much more restrictive and confining than those governing agents who only hold a real estate license.

Here are the 17 REALTOR® Code of Ethics:

• Pledge to put the interests of buyers and sellers ahead of their own and to treat all parties honestly. 
• Shall refrain from exaggerating, misrepresenting or concealing material facts; and is obligated to investigate and disclose when situations reasonably warrant.
• Shall cooperate with other brokers / agents when it is in the best interests of the client to do so.
• Have a duty to disclose if they represent family members who own or are about to buy real estate, or if they themselves are a principal in a real estate transaction, that they are licensed to sell real estate.
• Shall not provide professional services in a transaction where the agent has a present or contemplated interest without disclosing that interest. 
• Shall not collect any commissions without the seller's knowledge nor accept fees from a third-party without the seller's express consent.
• Shall refuse fees from more than one party without all parties' informed consent.
• Shall not co-mingle client funds with their own. 
• Shall attempt to ensure that all written documents are easy to understand and will give everybody a copy of what they sign. 
• Shall not discriminate in any fashion for any reason on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
• Expects agents to be competent, to conform to standards of practice and to refuse to provide services for which they are unqualified. 
• Must engage in truth in advertising. 
• Shall not practice law unless they are a lawyer.
• Shall cooperate if charges are brought against them and present all evidence requested.
• Agree not to bad mouth competition and agree not to file unfounded ethics complaints.
• Shall not solicit another REALTOR'S client nor interfere in a contractual relationship.
• Shall submit to arbitration to settle matters and not seek legal remedies in the judicial system. The National Association of REALTORS® was founded in 1908 and has more than one million members.

All of our employees and agents 
also stand behind 
Siebert Realty's Mission Statement:

We Strive to Provide
Our Guests with Great Memories,
Our Owners with Excellence,
Our Team Members with Camaraderie,
& do it all with Integrity & Great Fun! 

Siebert Realty has been in business for over 50 years, so we know what it takes to operate a full service property management company, delivering excellent service to both our owners and guests. It doesn't matter if you live across town or across the country, you can feel confident that we will manage your property as if you were living next door. If you are considering our services in the future, we wish to extend a warm welcome to visit our office and meet our friendly staff. We'd love to meet with you and introduce you to the positive aspects of renting your property.

All Siebert Realty licensed agents, both in sales and property management (rentals), are members of the National Board of REALTORS® and have attended courses to learn the code of ethics. Our trained and dedicated agents stand ready to represent you in all your real estate dealings and vow to work on your behalf, and with other real estate professionals, in an honest and ethical way. It's a promise we make to the Board of REALTORS®, as well as to you, our customers and clients.  

So the next time you're in need of a real estate professional, whether for sales or rental, it may be in your best interest to use a REALTOR®.  You'll be getting not only a state licensed real estate agent, but also one who has taken a solemn vow of honesty and integrity in all their dealings.  

Give us a call at 1-877-422-2200 or 757-426-6200.  Or visit our website(s) at:  

Rentals:  www.siebert-realty.com  

Sales:     www.siebertrealtysales.com

We look forward to serving you.

Siebert Realty - The Beach People
Sandbridge Beach Vacation Rentals

www.siebert-realty.com

877-422-2200  /  757-426-6200